Shade roller



' Sept. 1, 1931. G. J. WRIGHT 1',s21,045

SHADE ROLLER Filed March 26, 1928 Inventor Patented Sept. 1,1931

I 'f 'TED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE J. WRIGHT, F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MARY WRIGHT, 1 i

a OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS SHADE ROLLER Application filed March 26, 1928. Serial No. 264,880.

. This invention relates. to an improved shade, roller, which is especially, but not necessarily, adapted for use in association with a shade or curtain such as is used upon the rear, window of automobiles of the closed cartype. p v c a The idea is to provide a shade or curtain roller structure which can beoperated from the drivers, seat, so that the shade can be pulled down under certain driving conditions and elevated under other driving conditions.

An invention of this character is appropriate for the driver who objects to the glare ofhead lights of carsbehind him, suchcas are. reflected in his windshield and upon the rear view mirror, thereby interfering with safe driving. 1 v t The'invention is also advantageous when backing the car. out of a parking space or i into a parking space, under which conditions,

the rear curtain should be up. course, when driving .on the open road, the rear curtain should be down and since the logical person to operate the curtain is the driver, I have conceived of a construction which will permit the driver to completely. control the curtain to raise it it when desired.

Thepreferred form ofthe invention embodied in this application is constructed to utilize a vacuum principle, the arrangement being such as toproduce a vacuum in a cylinder, in which a piston is reciprocable,.this

when desired, or to lower piston being connected with a rotary screw having operating connection with a freely rotatable roller. c

Other details and features of construction will become more readily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings: Flgure 1 1s av ew, 1n section and elevation,

showing the assembled roller structure and the vinternal details.

Figure 2 is across section through the central portion of the roller.

Referring now. to the drawings by reference numerals, it will be observed that 3 designates generally a cylindrical hollow roller having bearings 4 and 5, at its opposite ends,

having a central partition 6 and an end partition 7 These partitions divide the roller into separate compartments 8, 9, and 10, respectively.

Extending into theleft hand end compartment 8 is a special fitting or fixture, which includes an apertured attaching bracket 11,

a journal 12, and a cylinder 13. The cylin- I derl3 is provided with spaced parallel guide tracks 14.located at diametrically opposite Slidaole in the cylinder is a piston 21, hav- 7 ing a rod 22, provided with guides 23, slidably mounted upon the tracks 14. V

This piston rod is an enlarged operating screw 24, extending through the central openingin the diaphragm 6 and into the compart- 1 ment 9. The extended end portion is provided vwith openings 25, for selectively receiving a cotter key 26, which operatesas a stop, to limit the movement of the piston.

In this compartment 9 is a suitably mounted v backing roller 27, bearing against one side of the screw 24 to facilitate operation thereof.

It will be noted, in Figure 2, that the partition' 6 has diametrically opposite teeth 28, engaging the threads of the screw, whereby to eflecta rotary operating connection between the screw and the curtain rod 3.

At the right hand end is another fixture comprising an attaching plate 29, provided with a grooved journal 30, cooperating with the anti-frictional ball 31 and the complemental bearing 5. This fixture is constructed to connect one end to'a coil spring 32. The spring is anchored at its opposite end upon the aforesaid partition 7 The purpose of this spring constructed at this end of the roller is to rewind the curtain similar to an ordinary domestic window shade.

' With this arrangement, it is obvious that when a vacuum is'produced in the cylinder 13, the piston 21 will be drawn from right to left, in Figure 1, whereby to move the feed screw 24in longitudinal manner. Through the medium of the operating connection between the screw and the partition 6, the shade roller 3 will be rotated upon its obvious. q

Incidentally it is my intention to approbearing as is priately provide a valve within reach of-the drivers seat, whereby he can control the vacuum. Obviously, by operating the valve'to release the vacuum the return spring will come into play to rewind the shade. Therefore, as before stated, a roller structure of this character is particularly adaptable for the mounting of a rear shade for the rear windowof an automobile, thereby permitting the driver to control thecurtain at his discretion and according to existing operating conditions. I

While I have shown the preferred embodi:

ment of my inventi0n,'it is to be understood thatmmor changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, withi out departingfrom the spirit of the invention I claim as new is:

and the scope of the appended claims.

Havingthus described my invention, what 1. In a shade roller of the class described, an elongated "tubular member about which the shade is adapted to wind, bearings at opposite'ends of the members, a cylinder within thetubular member at one end thereof, said cylinder being provided with a journal in one of said bearings, and merging into an attaching portion exteriorly of the tubular member, whereby the cylinder may be held and fixed with respect to the tubular member, a reciprocating piston in the cylinder, an operating connection between the piston and the tubular member for rotating said member about the cylinder in one direction to cause an unwinding of the shade, a journal in the other of said bearings, said journal merging into'an attaching portion exteriorly of the tubular member, and spring means within the said tubularmember and operatively associated therewith and with said last mentionedjournal to cause a rotation of the tubular member in an opposite direction for rewinding the shade thereon.

2. In a shade roller of the class described, an elongated tubular member about which the shade is adapted towind, means for rotatably mountingthe tubular member, a longitudinally movable feed screw within said tubular member, means for reciprocating the screw, and an operating connection between the screw and tubular member whereby when the screw is reciprocated, the roller will be rotated in one direction for unwinding the shade thereon, and means for rotating the tubular member in an opposite direction upon said feed screw, for rewinding the shade upon said tubular member.

3. In a shade roller of the class described, an elongated tubular member about which the shade is adapted to wind, a cylinder located within said tubular member adapted to be held stationary and about which said tubular member is adapted to be rotated, a reciprocating piston within said cylinder, an elongated feed screw operatively associated with the piston and with the tubular member, whereby during reciprocation of the piston-within the cylinder, said tubular member will be rotated about said cylinder to cause an unwinding of the shade thereon, and spring meansoperatively assoc-iated'with the tubular member for causing a rotation of said member about the cylinder in an opposite direction for causing a rewinding of the shade upon said tubular member.

4. In a shade roller of the class described, an elongated tubular member about which a shade is adapted to wind, partitions dividing the tubularmember into a plurality of compartments, one ofsaid partition memhers-being provided with a toothed aperture formed therein, a'cylinder located in one of said compartments, said cylinder merging at one end into an attaching portion, extending exteriorly from one end of the tubular member, whereby said cylinder maybe held stationary with respect to the tubular member, a reciprocating piston within the cylinder, a feed screw operatively associated with the piston and. extending through the two opposite partitions and having its threads cooperating with said teeth, and distance control means for operating said pistons.

a hollow roller adapted to be rotatablyv supported in operative relation with respect to a window, a toothed apertured partition in said roller, a rotary feed screw extending through the aperture and having its threads cooperating with said teeth, a cylinder located with in said hollow roller. but adapted to be held 5. In a shade roller of the class described,

stationary with respect to the rotary movement of theroller, said cylinder having fluid ports, a piston reciprocable in said. cylinder and having operating connection with said feed screws, said cylinder being provided with diametrically opposed spaced parallel side tracks, said piston including a rod which is connectedwith the feed screw, said rod having guides engaging said track.

6. In the combination of a curtain carrier and an operator therefor, a rotatable hollow cylinder, adapted to carry a curtain exterior- 1y thereof, a second cylinder disposed Within said first mentioned cylinder and concentrically thereof, a slidable piston disposed Within said second cylinder, an externallythreaded rod carried by said piston, and a (:0- operating member afiixed to said first mentioned cylinder internally thereof and co-operating with said rod to rotate said first men- I tioned cylinder. 10

whereof I aflix my signature.

In testimony Y GEORGE J. WRIGHT. 

